Dar shines in continental capacity index ranking
Tanzania has emerged second in the African Capacity Index (ACI) that assesses the capacity of African countries against the development agenda.
The high score in the index proved that the country is on course towards its set development agenda as well making better use of science, technology and innovation, according to the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).
The latest African Capacity Report, scheduled for launching at the Nelson Mandela African Institute for Science and Technology (NMAIST) here tomorrow, reveals that Morocco is leading the pack, with 71.6 score in the ACI that assessed 44 countries in the continent.
Tanzania, at the second slot, managed 68.8 ACI score ahead of Rwanda and Mauritius with 68.2 and 67.3 score, respectively. Other countries with their scores in brackets are Cap Verde (62.6), Tunisia (62.6), Gambia (61.7), Mali (61.0), Malawi (60.7) and Burkina Faso (58.8), which made the top ten in the ranking.
Niger, with 57.4 score came eleventh while Liberia and Ethiopia followed with 57.1 and 56.7 score, respectively. The traditionally perceived economic giant of East Africa, Kenya with 55.2 score on the ACI was ranked 17th behind Egypt (55.8), Lesotho (56.1) and Namibia with 56.2, according to the ACBF Report.
Uganda with 54.0 is the 19th behind Ghana (54.1), which is the oldest country to attain independence in Africa. The ACI report highlights key determinants and components of capacity and maps out the continent’s capacity to develop, with the goal of sharpening the focus on capacity deficits as a major development policy issue.
The ACI is a composite index computed from four sub-indices, each being an aggregated measure calculated on a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the components. The sub-indices cover policy environment, processes for implementation, development results at country level and capacity development outcomes.
The ACBF has, over the past five years, published its Africa Capacity Reports, seeking to measure and examine the capacity of African countries to pursue their development agenda by focusing on key determinants and components of capacity for development.
The status of Africa’s development, according to the report, is closely linked to its capacity to deploy Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for more inclusive sustainable development and transformation.
The report lays emphasis on the need to build STI capacity in Africa to achieve the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.